I’ve just sent off a couple of cards to be auctioned as I bought them right when I started this journey due to price and don’t really have a connection to the cards. I figured I’d sell them and put the proceeds towards some collection goals.
This got me thinking about how the people on E4 fund their collections. Do you only use cash from a job, do you purchase things outside of your collections solely to sell for profit or do you consistently sell parts of your collection to fund new goals?
I’m not sure how to start a poll, maybe @pfm would be kind enough to help add one here when he has the time or someone who knows how could let me know.
Flip cards to fund collection
Outside income funds collection
Personal collection cards are sold to fund new purchases
Years ago, talking 2011 ish, I would buy cards in bulk, sort them and sell them on eBay (keeping some for my own collection). That was how I first got money to buy a lot of my collection. Now days I just use my regular job money to buy cards.
I’d assume back then you would’ve found some treasures when buying bulk. Not sure if the same level of success would be likely with the same strategy now
Yes back then people were practically giving their collections away. It was a lot of fun looking though the bulk because back then most people didn’t know what they had so you’d find some amazing cards just lurking at the bottom of a shoe box. It isn’t really feasible now.
One of my favorite things still is making a new friend, them finding out I’m in to cards, then them brining me their old collection to help sell. It’s so much fun just digging through a box or stuffed binder, especially with internet databases being what they are today to help you look for obscure rare misprints.
I have two jobs. My main 9 to 5 you could say, and then i have a part time job just for fun stuff, which is usually pokemon cards. I work a couple extra days a week so i can just spend that check guilt free on whatever id like. That way we have family savings, and i can be frivelous at times without any issues!
I used to buy non-tcg lots and sell the non-Gyarados stuff off alongside cards I didn’t want. That funded the majority of my purchases and was a necessity when it came to larger purchases.
With my current job, I’m making a more comfortable amount and so just saving and having a strict limit. I was a bit loose with my money during the first year or two after Covid and had to reign it in.
If I had invested in grading things I didn’t want and waiting longer to sell, it would have made a bigger impact but I learned that lesson a little too late with only a few exceptions.
I think most people with kids could relate. Part of me wishes I’d got into the hobby when I didn’t have a kid so that I could’ve enjoyed some recklessness, although what I hope most is she shows some interest as she gets older and we can share the hobby. I know you’ve said your wife has small collection goals which must help with some explaining when your finger slips on a purchase.
@azulryu from what I’m experiencing it’s almost impossible not to be a little loose with purchases at the beginning, as everything seems new and interesting. I’m hoping having some goals prevents the urge to buy things just to buy things, but if not, there’s plenty of empty binder pages.
@dragonwarrior do you still flip cards, or now your purchases are solely for your collection?
My son is more into fortnite and minecraft, ive tried to get him seriously into pokemon but we arent there yet. He is your typical 8 year old, only likes the big guys with high hp and flashy cards
Based on what Bingbong has said it sounds like your wife is also a little into collecting, which probably makes her more understanding, but I’m curious – how do you go about a second (even part-time) job without it being a burden on your family time? I know this is a tad off topic, but it’s one of my biggest struggles.
I would love to pick up a second job but I find that most of my free time is spent with my wife, and a tad bit of time towards non-TCG hobbies like games. I don’t really know where I would even find the time for a second job to fund cards without it impacting my marriage or what little time I have to mentally “decompress”.
For context (relevant or not) my wife also works a fairly mentally-demanding full-time job, which almost entirely overlaps with mine time-wise.
We budget an amount each month that I can spend without question but it’s never enough to make real progress on my collection goals and it makes me a bit sad. Being a Pikachu card collector the budget hardly allows me to keep up with English + some Japanese, not to mention other languages that I also want to be collecting.
It does effect family time but i work early mornings at both jobs so i am there after school most days. I get up around 4 am and am typically done around 3 or 4 pm
My wife works from home so we dont pay for child care and someone is always there for him. However i will miss work without hesitation for him, and that can cause issues sometimes with work but family first.
